The game of softball originated in Chicago on Thanksgiving Day, 1887. A group of about twenty young men had gathered in the gymnasium of the Farragut Boat Club in order to hear the outcome of the Harvard-Yale football game. After Yale's victory was announced and bets were paid off, a man picked up a stray boxing glove and threw it at someone, who hit it with a pole.

George Hancock, the inventor of softball, shouted, "Let's play ball!" He tied the boxing glove so that it resembled a ball, chalked out a diamond on the floor and broke off a broom handle to serve as a bat. What proceeded was an odd, smaller version of baseball. That game is now, 111 years later, known as the first softball game.

3Fast Pitch Softball

Players and Positions

Pitcher 1

Catcher 2

First Base 3

Second Base 4

Third Base 5

Shortstop 6

Left Field 7

Center Field 8

Right Field 9

As an example if you heard someone say, it was a 4 to 3 play. You would take the numbers above to find out who made the play. 4-Second Base to 3-First base out.

The bat used by the batter is made of metal or composite materials. It may be no more than 34 in long, 2.25 in diameter.

A softball game can last anywhere from 3 to 9 innings, depending on the league, rules, and type of softball however 7 innings is the most common.

In fast pitch softball the ball MUST be pitched underhand. It also has to be thrown by the pitcher using the windmill pitch.

4Slow Pitch Softball

All player positions are the same with the exception of ONE! Slow pitch has an extra player 10. They are deemed as the short fielder and they play in the outfield to help fill gaps.

Players and Numbered Position

Pitcher 1

Catcher 2

First Base 3

Second Base 4

Third Base 5

Shortstop 6

Left Field 7

Center Field 8

Right Field 9

Short Field 10

Bases will be 65 feet apart in the men and women's.

Games are still 7 innings, or longer if in a tie.

There is NO base stealing!

The pitch must be thrown underhand (slingshot) and have a minimum arc of 6 ft. from the ground. The maximum allowable arc is 12 ft. from the ground. If the pitch does not meet these requirements, an illegal pitch shall be called.

5Field of Play (fast pitch)

The pitcher's circle is a a circular area with an 8 foot radius measured from the center of the front edge of the pitcher's plate (rubber).

The distance between all of the bases is 60 feet.

The distance from home plate to the pitching rubber is 43 feet (College and Pro) 40 feet for most high schools.

6Softball Field 7Safe or Out? You be the judge! 8Vocabulary

Batting Average Percentage of times a player gets a base hit.

Diamond Nickname for the infield, sometimes used to describe entire field.

Double Play When two outs are made on a single batted ball.

Earned run A run that is scored without the aid of an error.

Hit-and-run play First base runner tries for second base when the pitcher throws the ball. This is used to get infielders moving in the hope that a hit would allow the runner on first to reach third.

Sacrifice When a batter bunts a ball and is put out, but the play allows a runner to take a base.

Squeeze play The batter bunts the ball, allowing the runner from third base to score.

Triple play When three outs are made on a single batted ball.

Dead Ball Is not considered in play again, until the pitcher is stationed within the 16-foot circle and the umpire calls play ball.

Foul Tip Is a batted ball, which goes directly and speedily from the bat to the catchers mitt or hand not higher than the batters head and is legally caught by the catcher, ball remains alive.

Crow Hop Is the replanting of the pivot foot prior to delivery of the pitch.

Strike Zone Is that space over home plate, which is between the batters forward armpit and the top of the knees when the batter assumes a natural batting stance. Any part of the ball passing through the strike zone in flight shall be considered a strike the umpire shall determine the batters strike zone according to the batters usual stance.

Bunt Is a fair ball, which occurs when the batter does not swing to hit the ball, but holds the bat in the path of the ball to tap it slowly to the infield.

Drag Bunt Is a bunt where the batter attempts to bunt the ball by running forward in the batter box, carrying the bat with her. The movement of the bat is in conjunction with the batters forward movement.

Attempted Bunt Is any movement of the bat toward the ball when the ball is over or near the plate area. The mere holding of the bat in the strike zone is not an attempt to bunt. If an attempted bunt results in a foul ball, it is treated as any other foul ball, if the batter has two strikes and this happens, he is out.

Slap Hit Occurs when the batter gives the appearance of bunting, using a modified swing or slap at the ball as it approaches home plate. If an attempt to "SLAP" is a foul ball, it is treated the same as any other foul ball including an attempt by the batter with two strikes.

Wild Pitch A wild pitch is a pitch that cannot be handled by the catcher with ordinary effort.

Passed Ball A passed ball is a pitch which the catcher fails to stop or control with ordinary effort and which enables a runner to advance.

Catch Is the act of a fielder getting secure possession in a hand or glove of a live ball in flight and firmly holding it, provided a cap, protector, mask, pocket or other part of the uniform is not used to trap the ball. It is considered a catch. If a fielder catches a fair or foul ball and then leaves live-ball area with both feet by stepping or falling into a beach, dugout, stand, bleacher or over any boundary or barrier, such as a fence, rope, chalk line, or a pre-game determined imaginary boundary line of the field of play. Falling into does not include merely running against such object. It is not a catch when a fielder touches a batted ball in flight and the ball then contacts a member of the offensive team or an umpire and is then caught by a defensive player.

9Worksheet

THE GAME OF SOFTBALL WAS INVENTED IN WHAT YEAR?

WHERE WAS THE GAME OF SOFTBALL INVENTED?

WHO INVENTED THE GAME OF SOFTBALL?

ONE PITCH SOFTBALL MEANS YOU GET HOW MANY PITCHES?

HOW MANY INNINGS ARE IN A SOFTBALL GAME?

WHAT ARE THE RULES FOR SLOW-PITCH SOFTBALL?

THE MAXIMUM LENGTH FOR A SOFTBALL BAT IS?

IN SLOW-PITCH AND FAST-PITCH HOW MUST THE BALL BE PITCHED?

WHAT PLAYER POSITIONS ARE INVOLVED IN A 6-4-3 DOUBLE PLAY?

Draw and label Softball field, include lines bases, fielders by position and numbered positions.

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